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Ron Leavitt
|birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |died = |death_place = Sherman Oaks, CA, U.S. |death_cause = Lung Cancer |occupation = Television Producer and writer |known_for = writing episodes for The Jeffersons, Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley, amongst other series |spouse = Sharyn Leavitt (divorced) |partner = Jessica Hahn 1991-2008 (his death) |children = Matt, Samantha |series = Married... with Children Top of the Heap Vinnie & Bobby |episodes = Co-creator of all series (MWC with Michael G. Moye & TOTH with Arthur Silver) Co-produced all 252 \''MWC'' with Moye }} Ron Leavitt (November 7, 1947 – February 10, 2008 ) was the co-creator of Married with Children, and had a small speaking role in one episode ("Al Bundy, Shoe Dick") as a Private Eye, Jack Dallas. Life and career A native of Brooklyn, Ron began his television career in the 1970s writing episodes for the comedies Busting Loose, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and The Bad News Bears (for which he garnered an NAACP Award). In the early 1980s, in addition to writing and producing The Jeffersons (for which he won a People’s Choice Award and a second NAACP Award), Leavitt co-wrote the pilot for Silver Spoons and co-created and executive produced the Jason Bateman sitcom It’s Your Move. In the late 1980s, along with Michael G. Moye, Leavitt co-created Married with Children, which, with its debut on the Fox network in 1987, broke many of the established rules and mores of television. He served as executive producer and wrote or co-wrote close to 150 episodes. Its longevity over eleven seasons made Married... with Children the second-longest-running sitcom on Fox, just behind The Simpsons. Among its industry honors, Married... with Children earned seven Emmy nominations and an equal number of Golden Globe nominations, including Best TV Series. The show became a springboard for Leavitt to create a number of spin-offs, initially Top of the Heap, starring Matt LeBlanc and Joseph Bologna, and Vinnie & Bobby, starring Matt LeBlanc and Robert Torti. He would subsequently co-create, executive produce and write Unhappily Ever After, which earned a loyal following for more than five seasons on the WB (now the CW) television network. In more recent years Leavitt created and wrote several episodes of the WB's The Help. Other achievements outside the realm of television include recognition by the State of California as Citizen Hero of the Year in 2001, and the equally notable accomplishment of out-eating wrestler King Kong Bundy in a cheesesteak sandwich-eating contest at Dominick's Kitchen while Bundy was guest starring on Married... with Children. He had two children, Matt and Samantha with his ex-wife, Sharyn Leavitt, who passed away in 2005 from pancreatic cancer. Matt, Samantha and Sharyn had appeared on a few episodes during seasons 5-7. He is also survived by his long-time partner Jessica Hahn. He died at his home on February 10, 2008 from lung cancer. Characters On Married...with Children * Man in elevator (with Michael G. Moye) - One Down, Two to Go * Third baseman for the Cremators - "The Unnatural" * Jack Dallas - "Al Bundy, Shoe Dick" * Amos n' Andrew (poster, with Michael G. Moye) - "Kelly Does Hollywood, Part II", "No Pot To Pease In" * The Homeless Detective (poster, with Traci Lords) - "Kelly Does Hollywood, Part II" * Nearby Dog (voice) - "The England Show, Part I" * Man in flannel shirt showing the reporter the Big'Uns centerfold - "The Chicago Wine Party" References External links * *Ron Leavitt at Find A Grave Category:Writers Category:Producers Category:Deceased